按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'You're telling me he's had a premonition of his own death'？' She gave a shake of her head。 'No。 No； something worse than that。' A shadow fell across the table startling them both。 A barman collected their empty glasses； transferring them to a tray of others。
'Lovely day；' the barman said； turning away without waiting The girl looked across at Halloran。 She said nothing more。
8 BODYGUARDS
Snaith wasn't happy。
'You mean Magma is going to all this bother because their man…this chap Kline…has had a premonition of some sort？' He glared at Halloran as though it were his fault。
Halloran； himself； seemed preoccupied。 He scratched the back of his fingers against his jaw。 'That's how it is；' he said。
Snaith rested back in his chair； one hand still on the desk； fingers drumming a beat。 'Ludicrous；' he pronounced。
'Not to the Corporation；' said Mather； sitting in an easychair opposite Halloran； his bad leg stretched out before him （now and again during the briefing and planning meeting he would absent…mindedly rub at his kneecap as if to ease the pain of the old wound）。 'They have great faith in this man's ability； I don't think it's for us to dismiss his foreboding so lightly。' Dieter Stuhr； sitting at one end of the Controller's desk； tapped the blunt end of his pencil against the large notepad in front of him。 'Personally； I don't see how that affects us anyway。 What goes on between Kline and the Magma Corporation is their affair。 We should treat this like any other job。'
'Of course you're right；' agreed Snaith； 'but this business bothers me。 It's 。 。 。' he shook his head； frustrated '。 。 。 it's not logical。 What kind of man is he； Liam？'
'Changeable；' came the reply。 'I'd say he's highly unstable neurotic； in fact。 He's going to be a problem。'
'I see。' Snaith's expression was grim。 'Well； we've dealt with prima donnas before。 And his personal bodyguards？ What's your opinion of their worth？'
'I was only introduced to one。 He wasn't very effective。' Nobody in the room asked him how he'd reached that conclusion； they accepted his word。
Mather consulted a notebook。 'I have the names of the other three here。 Let me see now； yes…Janusz Palusinski； his driver； then Asil Khayed and Youssef Daoud。 They're described as 〃personal attendants〃； which I suppose could imply anything。'
'Good Lord；' exclaimed Snaith。 'Arabs？'
'Jordanians。'
'And the first？ Czech？ Polish？'
'Janusz Palusinski…Polish。'
'And the one you met； Liam？'
'Monk。 He didn't say much。'
'Theodore Albert Monk；' Mather supplied from his notebook。 'According to the Magma files； he's American。'
'That's some mixed bag；' mented Snaith。
'Apparently Felix Kline picked them up on his travels。 They've all been with him for years。'
'The driver might need some training；' suggested Halloran。
'That's being taken care of；' Snaith told him。 'Kline's PA； Miss； uh…Redmile； rang me earlier this afternoon to arrange it。 Dieter？'
'I've got him booked in for tomorrow。 We'll lease Magma one of our own specials…for Palusinski to train in and to use afterwards。 Kline's own vehicle doesn't have enough protection facilities； body and windows are bullet…proof； but that's about it。 I'll want to keep Palusinski for at least two days； Liam； to make sure he really knows what he's doing when he leaves us； so it looks like you're Kline's chauffeur until then。' Halloran nodded。
Snaith spoke： 'Miss Redmile also confirms that her employer agrees to the list of conditions regarding his own actions in the forthing weeks。 I understand you had lunch with her today？' He was looking directly at Halloran。 'Apart from their business relationship； what is she to Kline？ Is she his mistress？' Halloran took time to consider the question。 Finally； he said； 'She could be。'
'She's that type？'
'What type？'
'The type who beds her boss。'
'I wouldn't know。'
'But she's a looker。' Halloran nodded。
'Let's assume that's the case； then。' Mother noticed the brief flare of anger in Halloran's eyes and was puzzled by it。 Liam usually held his emotions totally in check。 'I don't see that it's entirely relevant； Gerald；' Mather put in。 'After all； Kline isn't married； and there's no mention of other girlfriends…or boyfriends； for that matter…in the dossier from Magma。'
'She could be a weak spot；' Snaith replied。 'He might put himself at risk if he knows she's in danger。 There could be other possibilities； also。 Has she been checked out？'
'I have her file right here；' said Stuhr。 'Charles brought it back from Magma earlier today； so I've only managed to glance through it。 She sounds pretty solid to me。 Raised in Hampshire； an only child； father a university lecturer； mother a local GP； both now deceased。 Attended private school until eighteen； bright seven Os and three As…but never went on to university。 Rents an apartment in Pimlico； has a substantial sum of money in her bank account…what's left of the proceeds from the sale of her parents' home； plus a little of her own savings。 Magma is her first and only job apart from a bit of summertime temping when she was still a student； she worked her way up in the organisation and I think she is wonderful。' He took a black and white photograph from the file and held it up for the others to see。
Snaith didn't smile。 'Dig deeper over the next few days。 Find out who she socialises with； boyfriends； lovers； her politics； religion…you know the kind of thing。 She's close to the target； so we can't take chances。' Snaith paused； ran fingers through his short ginger…grey hair。
'Now；' he said； looking round at all of them。 'Our friend Mr Kline。 Just what the hell do we know about him？'
'Hardly anything；' answered Stuhr。 'It took me all of half…aminute to read through his file。'
'Hmn； that's what I was afraid of。 This bloody secrecy can be taken too far。'
'Oh； I don't chink Magma is to blame；' said Mather。 'When I spoke with the chairman this morning it became very apparent that the Corporation doesn't actually know too much about Felix Kline's background。 I got the impression that so long as the man continues to make them money； they're not particularly bothered。'
'Would somebody please tell me just what it is he does for Magma？' plained Stuhr。
'Sorry； Dieter。' said Snaith； 'that isn't necessary for you to know。 Their terms； I'm afraid； so don't sulk。 What does his file tell us？' Stuhr made a snorting noise； but didn't argue。 'Like I said there isn't much。 He was born in Israel； arrived in England eleven years ago； began working far the Magma Corporation almost immediately = 'A Jew with two Arab panions？' interrupted Snaith。
'They're not all bitter enemies。 He moved into the penthouse suite of the Magma building when it was pleted about five years ago。 He also has a country home in Surrey； by a lake； two thousand acres of pastures and woodland。 I need hardly say that's a huge amount of land to own in the Home Counties。 He's obviously a very wealthy man。 Unmarried； doesn't drive； doesn't smoke； drinks a little； no mention of drugs …but there wouldn't be…doesn't gamble。 That's about it。'
'What？'